[unsane69]

I can't get my head around punk being "old school." I guess it is matter of perception. "A long time ago" is not the same for everyone...

I grew up on, amongst other things, punk and thrash metal. That's at least 35+ years ago. Anyone saying 'old school' in relation to those genres; I know exactly what they mean...

 

[scottbrown5271]

Maybe I'm somewhat confused.
I just now realise it's a cultural thing too.
Europeans tend to safe up first and then buy.
In the Netherlands there's no grocery store that accepts credit cards (only debit cards) because the charges are too high to keep prices decent.

Same here with the charges, but most retailers absorb the fees transparently. My wife and I buy everything we can with credit cards, but we pay the bills off , in full, every month. No interest charges.

 

[scottbrown5271]

...On the other hand, it's a really inefficient way to (essentially) have a savings account, which, in a sane world, would work out better for everyone...
Jason

The most used American "savings account" is the IRS tax refund....

 

[sam6550a]

Hey guys,

Yep. Gotta straddle both sides of this fence. I use cards that get points (and prefer to pay that way--for everything). Or, more specifically, I like to pay with cards loaded into an Apple Pay app, which in itself should scare a lot of the people who worry about such things. But that's a convenience thing, based on paying the cards off every month, and harvesting the points for perks like travel. (The US viewpoint.)

On the other hand, it's a really inefficient way to (essentially) have a savings account, which, in a sane world, would work out better for everyone (the European viewpoint, perhaps?) This is why Schiit hasn't engaged with companies like Affirm, which enable buy-it-now-and-pay-later schemes for, well, people who maybe should be worrying more about buying things that matter, like housing and food.

Which kinda brings me back to "keep things affordable, keep things simple, let people make up their own minds." Which I was schooled in recently, because Rina has decided to take on our Amazon presence, and, in doing so, has come up with lots of (what seem like) silly questions. When I grumbled about answering them, she scolded me. "Well, what about the wife looking to buy her husband a gift. What do you tell her to buy, so it's super simple."

"Easy," I told her. "Fulla 2. It does everything, it's cheap, and if he doesn't like it, he can return it and get something else for no restock, because everything else is more expensive."

She crossed her arms. "Great. How come that isn't on the website?"

Yeah. I didn't have an answer for that. So she went on. "So why do I need a DAC or an amp, I mean, I know why, but how do you explain to Jen (her friend) why you want those."

"Well, you don't, you should get headphones first, but--"

She nodded. "And that's on the site, but it's buried, and nobody knows that, and nobody knows where to start. So what do you do about that?"

I sighed.

"Don't sigh at me," she said. "Because there's three hundred Jens for every audiophile, and if you're serious about making this easier for people to get into, you need to talk to her."

And I sighed again. Because she was right. Even if we don't want to sell to everyone, we shouldn't be so insular that we scare people away. And that's a real problem. It can be hard to get into the audio world. It can be impenetrable. It can be scary.

Which gave me an idea.

Maybe it's time to start a video series called, "No Stupid Questions," and take on the most basic of basic questions for people just getting into audio. Maybe that's something I should do. Maybe more people should be involved. I mean, anyone who doesn't launch automatically into Sales Mode should be fine. Maybe this is something Tony could shoot. Maybe we get Head-fi or Audio-head involved. I'm not good with logistics. But maybe it's time to see if we can bridge the gap for people who are just, well, curious about this whole audio thing.

Just a thought. Maybe we should do something with it....

All the best,
Jason

Sounds to me that Rina is the perfect personality to star in the video series----she understands the problem and has formulated solutions.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

I can't agree with this post enough! I used to use my debit card for everything until I had a friend that went through his debit card getting cloned and they basically told him tough luck... Ever since then the only time I use my debit card is at an ATM or a bank...

In Europe all Debit Cards are insured and covered for fraude by law. No problem there.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

Same here with the charges, but most retailers absorb the fees transparently. My wife and I buy everything we can with credit cards, but we pay the bills off , in full, every month. No interest charges.

Ans o the prices keep creeping up and as a customer you pay them.
There's really no argument against credit cards costing money.

 

[Ableza]

Also, debit cards aren't very safe to use. They are apparently much less secure then credit cards, and your bank won't cover you if you are hacked or the card gets skimmed.
.

My bank covers me if the debit card gets hacked or skimmed. In deed they contact me if any transaction looks suspicious and I must confirm it is legit or they cancel. I have had reimbursements from debit card being hacked on line. I find using the debit card safe and interest-free and it is how I purchase basically everything.

 

[Ableza]

@Jason Stoddard
I think your idea of a "No Stupid Questions" series is a good one. I have seen some things similar but they almost always are too long, sound condescending, or assume too much, so the approach needs to be carefully written.

When people ask me things like "how can I get started" or "how can I pick out some (speakers, headphones, system) to listen to" I always begin with two questions: what's your favorite music, and what do you want to do while you listen to it?

 

[scottbrown5271]

Ans o the prices keep creeping up and as a customer you pay them.
There's really no argument against credit cards costing money.

You always see clear to the point! You are again correct. But, that is the way it is. See, there are some culture generalizations that you can safely make...

 

[Robert Padgett]

For what it's worth my wife hated your website... But she loved your customer service.

Also, debit cards aren't very safe to use. They are apparently much less secure then credit cards, and your bank won't cover you if you are hacked or the card gets skimmed.

A credit card company will, in my experience, take care of everything, and cover all losses..... And in many cases, the same company offers credit and debit services. Wells Fargo and Bank of America for example.

Maybe because it was a Walmart Money card, but when someone at Domino's decided to skim the balance off my debit card, they made good on the loss. (Which was under $10) I have not had a credit card in over a dozen years, using only a Money Card.

 

[porchwizard]

I can't agree with this post enough! I used to use my debit card for everything until I had a friend that went through his debit card getting cloned and they basically told him tough luck... Ever since then the only time I use my debit card is at an ATM or a bank...

When a random bogus charge showed up on my debit card my bank reversed it and issued a new card on the spot.

 

[dieslemat]

So, what’s the next Schiit product to be released? I know there’s one before the Sol. Or am I wrong.

 

[Androxylo]

I wonder how long it will take to have Ragnarok 2 reviewed, and especially have a Rag 2 vs. Aegir/Freya S shootout. I am very mystified by the claim that A/B Rag can sound better than A class Aegir. What's the magic?

 

[Brubacca]

Jason,

In am sure you are loathe to do it but.....
Some recommended headphone/amp pairings would also be welcome. VPI does this with recommended cartridges.

I'll admit to being a total headphone novice. I've bought a couple pairs at different price point, but in the vain of your last post....

 

[Mike-WI]

Jason,

In am sure you are loathe to do it but.....
Some recommended headphone/amp pairings would also be welcome. VPI does this with recommended cartridges.

I'll admit to being a total headphone novice. I've bought a couple pairs at different price point, but in the vain of your last post....

I don't think anyone -- including Jason -- can make general recommendations.
It's like asking for ice cream recommendations.
It involves preferences and individual value judgements.
There are many headphone forums on HeadFi with plenty of opinions.